October 9, 2025

A Bengaluru manager working at a multinational financial company has dropped a bombshell on social media about return-to-office (RTO) rules. He shared a spicy insight from senior leaders that the push to get employees back to office is NOT about 'collaboration' or 'company culture.' Instead, it's a sneaky trick to make people leave on their own! According to this manager, companies hired too many workers during COVID, and instead of firing them — which looks bad — they force employees to come back. This way, employees get tired and quit without layoffs or paying severance. But wait, there's more! This manager calls it the "burnout trap." He says Bengaluru traffic sends workers on 3-4 hour daily commutes, wearing them down physically and mentally. When drained, employees can't focus on finding new jobs or upgrading skills. "You’re too tired to update your resume or prepare for interviews," he says. This means job power stays with the bosses who don’t face this traffic nightmare. The manager feels torn forcing rules he doesn’t believe in. He sees talented people leaving, not because they perform badly, but because they are drowning in exhaustion. “I’m supposed to be a bridge between leadership and my team, but I feel like a messenger for decisions made by people who haven’t sat in Bengaluru traffic in years — if ever,” he revealed. Ending with a strong message, he said, “If you’re feeling stuck or gaslit about WFO mandates — you’re not imagining it. The game is rigged deliberately. Try to leave this rat race if you can. Even earning half the salary in a smaller city is better than living for crashes, burnout, or heart attacks in Indian metros.” His post struck a chord, with others replying that some have never even worked from the office before but now face warnings or fear terminations. Clearly, the RTO story is much spicier than we thought! Is your office also playing these tough games? Stay alert!

Read More at Economictimes →

Tags: Return to office, Bengaluru traffic, Employee burnout, Forced attrition, Work culture, Remote work,